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Gospel Convention and Lenten Retreat - 2018

Malankara Orthodox Syrian Christians in North America To Organize a 3-Day Gospel Convention and Lenten Retreat in New Jersey

The Convention, scheduled from March 16-18, 2018, will enable the participants to meditate and examine and empower themselves with the help of world class convention speakers and choirs from several churches in the Archdiocese.

Many people think of fasting and fish fries when they hear of the Great Lent. However, Lent is not just fasting, although fasting is a component of the Lent. During the Lenten season, Syrian Christians also meditate and cleanse themselves spiritually to prepare for the Passion Week recalling the agony undergone by Jesus Christ starting with the triumphant entry to Jerusalem on Palm Sunday culminating in the Crucifixion, Death, Burial and Resurrection on Easter Sunday. These are the most Holy Days for Christians and it requires advance preparation. Great Lent provides the Christians that preparation.

Jesus Christ had spent 40 days of fasting and praying in the wilderness preparing to start His public ministry. Following Jesus, the Syrian Christians spend 50 days of lent to prepare for the Passion of Jesus (40 days + 10 days of Passion). Fasting, Prayer and Charity are the cornerstones of this Great Lent.

The blessed period of the Great Lent is the season for our spiritual preparation through fasting and prayer before the great feast of the Holy resurrection. The Lent reminds us the biblical teaching that, 'man does not live by bread alone' and encourages us to depend on God who is the ultimate provider. We pray that this Lent may help each one of us in our spiritual progress.
In connection with the observance of the Lent, the St. Paul's Men's Fellowship and St. Mary's Women's League of our Archdiocese have organized a 3-day Gospel Convention and Retreat at our cathedral in New Jersey on March 16-18, 2018. This is a diocesan level program, and His Grace Yacoub Mor Anthonios Metropolitan of Mangalore Diocese will be the chief speaker. We encourage you to plan and attend the Convention, which will provide you a great spiritual experience. Accommodation will be provided for those who are attending from outside of North East Region.
Archbishop Mor TitusYeldho
Excerpted from Bull No. 27/18 dated January 30, 2018

Malankara Archdiocese of the SOC-NA, led by Archbishop Yeldho Mor Theethose, is organizing a 3 day Gospel Convention at its Head Quarters in Whippany, New Jersey. Two of its Spiritual Organizations, namely The St. Mary's Women's League and St. Paul's Men's Fellowship, are spearheading this effort. A Joint committee of these organizations with representatives from all over the USA and Canada had been working diligently on organizing this event for the past 3 months. The theme of the retreat is, "Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God that He may exalt you in due time." (1 Peter 5:6)

Why this theme? Christians believe that humility is the most attractive trait prized by God. Jesus, the son of God, was the epitome of humility. He humbled Himself to die on a cross, the most humiliating way to die according to Jews at Jesus' time. By dieing, he wiped away the sins of the world, brought to this world by Adam. St. Mary, showed the ultimate humility by replying to the angel who came to announce that she had been picked to be the mother of the son of God by saying, "Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word." (Luke 1:34) By humbling ourselves as Jesus and St. Mary did, we have an opportunity to be exalted by the God almighty.

This topic will be examined in detail by the Convention leaders, His Eminence Yakoob Mor Anthonios, Metropolitan for Mangalore Diocese & Asst. Metropolitan of St. Antony's Mission, Honavar in India and Rev. Fr. Abey Mathew, Vicar, St. Mary's Syrian Orthodox Church, Mississauga (Toronto), Canada.

They will be complemented by an All Star Team of Speakers from the Malankara Archdiocese including:

Archbishop His Eminence Yeldho Mor Theethose, Patriarchal Vicar of Malankara Archdiocese
Very Rev. Geevarghese Chattathil Corepiscopos, Vicar, St. George Syrian Orthodox Church, New City, NY and St. Mary's Syrian Orthodox Church, West Nyack, NY
Very. Rev. Mathews Edathara Corepiscopos, Vice President, St. Mary's Women's League, and Vicar, St. Mary's Syrian Orthodox Church, Augusta, GA
Rev. Fr. Paul C. Thotakat, Vice President, St. Paul's Men's Fellowship and Vicar, Mor Gregorios Syriac Orthodox Church, Mesquite, TX and
Prof. Siby Sunny Thomas, Adjunct Faculty in Gannon Univ. and State Univ. of NY and an expert on this topic with Masters Degrees in Psychology, Religion, Christian Studies, Sociology and Philosophy. Prof. Thomas will examine the subject from the laity's point of view.

Choir from various churches in the Archdiocese will sing devotional songs to provide an atmosphere of contemplation and meditation.

This is an intensive retreat lasting 12 hours each on Friday and Saturday. It will end with the Holy Qurbano on Sunday. The organizers hope that, at the end of this retreat, the participants will have an opportunity to look back at their life in a different way and determine what changes they need to make to their lives to make it pleasing to God. The key is to make the participants aware of their own unworthiness. John the Baptist said, "He must increase, I must decrease" (John 3:30). More of Him means less and less of us - humility.

Why attend this conference? We learn from the Bible that a humble person is teachable. For example, Holy Bible tells us that the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts of Apostles chapter 8) asked Philip, "How can I (understand the Scriptures), unless someone teach me?" Then he "invited Philip to come up and sit with him." (Acts 8:31). Unless a person know what is lacking, he/she cannot learn. It requires humility and openness.

We invite you to come 'Just as you are' and learn of the great gift of Jesus Christ who shed his precious blood on the cross on Good Friday. In doing so, Jesus has also defeated death by his resurrection on Easter Sunday. By His death and resurrection, Jesus has made us the children of God. Jesus paved the way for 'the mighty hand of God to exalt us in due time'. Learn how by attending this Gospel Convention.

To learn more about the Gospel Convention, please refer the conference flyer in the following link:

http://malankaraworld.com/convention/gospel-convention-flyer20.pdf